Good Airport Coffee is One Thing, but Excellent Airport Coffee is a Chicago Thing

One year ago, we published a tiny rant on airport coffee and the severe lack of quality coffeeshops within terminals, despite the recent trend toward adding gourmet, organic burger joints and wine bars and Top Chef-backed sit-down eateries. Where were the pour-over coffee bars and anything-other-than-Starbucks, we asked.

Chicago's two airports have answered.

It was announced in October that O'Hare Airport will soon have an Intelligentsia Coffee Bar. Well, Midway Airport quickly saw where this was going and just this week also made the news with the report that they'd be adding a Metropolis Coffee Bar to their pre-flight dining and drinking options.

As pictured above, we've already spotted some Metropolis over at O'Hare, within the Gold Coast Dogs. That's just the brewed beans, however; the real magic will come with the opening of a dedicated cafe, even if it is down at Midway.

[Metropolis Director of Operations] Quinlan told us that the cafe will be opening next summer and will be located past security.
'The exact square footage is pending final drawings, but it will be have space for a full coffee and espresso bar, seating, and retail,' Quinlan said.

'We plan on having plenty of seating and standing space.'

2013 is already looking extremely bright for travelers who love their coffee but hate the brown water served up onboard flights. Major props to both O'Hare and Midway for branching out and including local, independent companies. So, how long until we see a Ritual Roasterie at SFO or a Square Mile cafe at a London airport?